Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Using Handheld Computers in the Chemistry Classroom Charles R. Ward James H. Reeves Barbara P. Heath Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW History of Numina II SRS Multi-disciplinary team has been working together on technology projects since Multi-disciplinary team has been working together on technology projects since Funding obtained in 1999 to explore the use of handheld computer technology for teaching science and mathematics. Funding obtained in 1999 to explore the use of handheld computer technology for teaching science and mathematics. Work begins on Student Response System. Work begins on Student Response System. chemistry physics mathematics computer science science education

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Initial work done with handheld computers ( ) Initial work done with handheld computers ( ) History of Numina II Project Wireless networks installed (1999) Wireless networks installed (1999) Focus shifted to Pocket PCs (2001-present) Focus shifted to Pocket PCs (2001-present)

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Project Is it possible to do serious college-level work on a Pocket PC? Is it possible to do serious college-level work on a Pocket PC? What additional hardware and software are needed to make the PPC a viable option for students and faculty? What additional hardware and software are needed to make the PPC a viable option for students and faculty?

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Intel StrongArm CPU (206 MHz) Intel StrongArm CPU (206 MHz) 64 MB RAM 64 MB RAM 240 x 360 reflective TFT color display 240 x 360 reflective TFT color display Compact Flash expansion slot Compact Flash expansion slot 14-hour Li-ion battery 14-hour Li-ion battery Pocket PC 2002 OS Pocket PC 2002 OS MS Pocket Office suite MS Pocket Office suite Internet Explorer Internet Explorer Pocket PC Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Pocket PCs are distributed to students in class Pocket PCs are distributed to students in class PPCs are stored on “charging” carts PPCs are stored on “charging” carts Pocket PC Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Reads and writes standard MS Word (.doc) documents Reads and writes standard MS Word (.doc) documents Will read and display sub/super- scripts but will not create them Will read and display sub/super- scripts but will not create them No support for tables No support for tables MS Pocket Word

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Reads and writes standard MS Excel (.xls) documents Reads and writes standard MS Excel (.xls) documents Does not support graphing Does not support graphing Will not allow non-contiguous column selection Will not allow non-contiguous column selection No statistical routines No statistical routines MS Pocket Excel

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Supports standard HTML Supports standard HTML Supports JPEG and GIF Supports JPEG and GIF Supports embedded Media Player Supports embedded Media Player Supports Flash MX (V. 6) Supports Flash MX (V. 6) No animated GIF support No animated GIF support Limited JavaScript support Limited JavaScript support Very limited Java support Very limited Java support MS Pocket Internet Explorer

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW eBook Chemistry Textbook BLB text from Prentice-Hall BLB text from Prentice-Hall Supplied in HTML format Supplied in HTML format Text delivered over the Web Text delivered over the Web Fully editable Fully editable

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Supports WMF audio and video Supports WMF audio and video Supports MP3 Supports MP3 Supports streaming video Supports streaming video Will embed in Pocket IE Will embed in Pocket IE MS Pocket Media Player

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Supports most Acrobat Reader functions including: thumbnails, table of contents Supports most Acrobat Reader functions including: thumbnails, table of contents Excellent graphics support Excellent graphics support PDF files are very large PDF files are very large Adobe Acrobat Reader for PPC

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Pen-based interface Pen-based interface MM+ and Semi-Empirical MM+ and Semi-Empirical Build molecules Build molecules Optimize geometries Optimize geometries Explore properties of molecules Explore properties of molecules Pocket Hyperchem from Hypercube – View and rotate molecules – Measure bond angles and bond lengths – View molecules in different renderings

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW All of the graphing functions of a TI graphing calculator All of the graphing functions of a TI graphing calculator Easier to use than a calculator due to the pen-based interface Easier to use than a calculator due to the pen-based interface Many additional functions useful in chemistry classes Many additional functions useful in chemistry classes Periodic table Periodic table Stop watch Stop watch Constants Constants Conversion factors Conversion factors RDCalc Graphing Calculator

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Developed at UNCW by Dr. Russ Herman Developed at UNCW by Dr. Russ Herman Adds graphing capability to Pocket Excel Adds graphing capability to Pocket Excel Graphs can be pasted into Pocket Word Graphs can be pasted into Pocket Word GraphData

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Graphical FTP client program Graphical FTP client program Very easy to use Very easy to use Students use FTP to transfer files to their instructor Students use FTP to transfer files to their instructor Scotty FTP

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW 12-bit DATAQ system with numerous probes 12-bit DATAQ system with numerous probes Available as serial interface or as CF+ unit Available as serial interface or as CF+ unit Software runs on HPC, PPC, and desktop computers Software runs on HPC, PPC, and desktop computers Data Harvest DATAQ System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Additional “Cool” Science Stuff Audio Spectrum AnalyzerGlobal Positioning System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Interactive classroom questioning Interactive classroom questioning Completely Web-based system Completely Web-based system Student feedback is anonymous Student feedback is anonymous Data are available for later analysis Data are available for later analysis

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Student Response Pad View Multiple ChoiceYes / NoTrue / False

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Student Response Pad View Variable ResponseGraphic Response

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 1

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 1 Showing Student Responses

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 1 Showing Student Responses 24 students in class

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 2

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 2 Showing Student Responses

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 3

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 3 Showing Student Responses

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 4 4. Congratulating a student with a pat on the back or commenting on a student’s appearance constitutes sexual harrassment. True False

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Sample Question 4 Showing Student Responses 4. Congratulating a student with a pat on the back or commenting on a student’s appearance constitutes sexual harrassment. True False

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Important Classroom Outcomes Student participation in question sessions is consistently near 100%. Student participation in question sessions is consistently near 100%. Instructors gain immediate information regarding the extent to which students understand the concepts or procedures being presented. Instructors gain immediate information regarding the extent to which students understand the concepts or procedures being presented. Instructors make informed decisions based on student data that impact the pace of class and the organization of concepts presented. Instructors make informed decisions based on student data that impact the pace of class and the organization of concepts presented. Nearly 100% of participating students report that they prefer the SRS system to normal classroom questioning techniques. Nearly 100% of participating students report that they prefer the SRS system to normal classroom questioning techniques.

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Important Classroom Outcomes Classroom discussion is increased and more widespread. Classroom discussion is increased and more widespread. total discussion hits number of students participating in discussion PPTSRSPPTSRS Total Responses and Students

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Important Classroom Outcomes Students exhibit little off-task behavior when using Pocket PCs with the SRS system. Students exhibit little off-task behavior when using Pocket PCs with the SRS system.

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Software Development for Numina II Molecular Animator (states of matter, vapor pressure, phase diagrams, etc.) Molecular Animator (states of matter, vapor pressure, phase diagrams, etc.) Kinetics Simulator Kinetics Simulator Equilibrium Simulator Equilibrium Simulator Data Analysis Module Data Analysis Module Data Acquisition Software & Hardware Data Acquisition Software & Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW National Science Foundation (#IIS )National Science Foundation (#IIS ) Pearson EducationPearson Education UNCWUNCW College of Arts and SciencesCollege of Arts and Sciences Division of Academic AffairsDivision of Academic Affairs Information Technology Systems DivisionInformation Technology Systems Division Project Funding Acknowledgements

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Acknowledgements Department of ChemistryDepartment of Chemistry Dr. Charles WardDr. Charles Ward Dr. Jimmy ReevesDr. Jimmy Reeves Dr. Barbara HeathDr. Barbara Heath Ms. Jenny Wright, UndergraduateMs. Jenny Wright, Undergraduate Ms. Katy Magolan, UndergraduateMs. Katy Magolan, Undergraduate Current Collaborators Mathematics and Statistics / PhysicsMathematics and Statistics / Physics Dr. Gabriel LugoDr. Gabriel Lugo Dr. Russ HermanDr. Russ Herman Computer ScienceComputer Science Dr. Ron VetterDr. Ron Vetter Mr. Shaun Border, UndergraduateMr. Shaun Border, Undergraduate

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW